11. A Call from the Unknown

11. A Call from the Unknown
Azure- Nineteen Years Old

“There you are.” Pierre says just behind me.

I look up at him and give him a small smile of my own. He stops short when he realizes what I was doing and takes a single step back. I can tell he was a bit on edge as he never takes his eyes off of the creature I was currently petting.

We were somewhere in the deep forests of Jeju Island of the Halla Mountains. For five years we have traveled together, and you would think he was used to this by now. But he never really could warm up the courage to get close to any wild animals that were dangerous predators.

The loud purring of the Leopard Cat brought back my attention to her. She was lying on her side, stomach slightly up as I rubbed her pregnant belly. She wasn’t too far along, but long enough to be showing. She was hunting for food when we crossed paths and at first, she was wary of me but soon I was able to gain her trust within a matter of minutes.

“I don’t think I will ever get used to that power of yours.” He mumbles, most likely afraid to get her attention off me and onto him.

No matter how many times I tell him its safe as long as he doesn’t show any hostility he still won’t come near. I gently tell her that I need to be going now, but I hope and pray she has a safe and gentle labor. She purrs one last time and rubs her head against the side of my cheek before pouncing off back to wherever she had come from.

It was nice to be able to have animals as friends, since more than half my life was spent in loneliness and isolation. If Pierre and his crew hadn’t come along, I don’t think I would ever have anyone to talk to other than the creatures that roam the earth.

I slowly stand up careful not to step on my robe that I was now forced to wear. Before it was solider garments, but now I was informed to wear the garments to show I was the heir to my father’s kingdom. I never thought he would want me to be displayed that I was his son, but he was getting older and more desperate for his bloodline to ascend the throne.

But my expedition wasn’t over just yet.

I wasn’t sure I even wanted to go home. I wasn’t ready to be a king, especially a king to those who didn’t want me to be in the first place. Just a year ago he had sent a courtier to act as my manservant. His name was Sung-Lee Yun who was the youngest son to one of the Royalty families.

In short, he was my second cousin or something like that.

When he had first arrived he acted like everything was beneath him or maybe it was just his way of showing his displeasure that he was forced to come all the way out here to serve me as punishment for being caught sleeping with a lady in waiting.

I don’t know what had happened to the poor girl, but his father was done with his playboy antics and spending all his money on booze and gambling. It was a insult to think that I was considered low enough as punishment to be served.

I didn’t so much as requested his help and he didn’t offer it. If anything, he just constantly complained of the journey and the fact I choose to sleep outdoors than try to find an inn every night grated on his nerves to no end.

I would like to say that over the years I have finally become close to the others but if anything, I was just simply ignored. Other than my princely demands, they do their best to show me that I wasn’t wanted anywhere. Not even the act of my powers convinced them to show a little humility. I try my best to keep them hidden as much as possible.

Which was fine by me. I didn’t want their friendship. I was fine with Pierre and the others. As well as my animal friends.

I walk towards him and sigh. “It’s alright, Pierre, I don’t expect anyone to get used to them. Are we ready to leave then?” I ask, looking up at the bright sunlight in the sky.

The weather was warming up already as spring was slowly changing into summer. Soon we’ll need to head to Seoul, my birth home. I was excited to see Seong-Yu Hyung and Hye-Se Young after such a long time. I tried to write as much as I can, and it really was disheartening not to be able to get a reply since I never stayed in one place long enough to receive it.

And like every single day and night since I was fourteen years old and had to leave my little palace I always thought of her. The girl on the other side of the wall. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was married now, maybe even had a child of her own. We never spoke once and she doesn’t even know I existed, but she was never far from my mind.

I would like to say that I had gained some experiences in the love department but one look at my oddity of violet eyes and they either made up excuses to walk away or flat out ran from me in fear. After the first few times I decided it was just best to stay away altogether.

“Taewon is impatient. You’re so close to home now. I think all the Perdants are ready for this journey to be over.” He grunts with a distaste look on his face.

Truth be told Pierre and his group should have left us once we crossed the Korean border. But they were curious of my lineage and homeland that they asked if they could tag along just a bit longer. I didn’t have the heart to say no, and honestly didn’t want too. I wanted to introduce them to Hye-Se Young and even though they wouldn’t be able to see him, Seong-Yu Hyung as well.

I was pleasantly surprised that they kept up the Korean language while traveling the lands and even though they were foreigners, many commoners were pleased to acknowledge them seeing them use our customs.

“Let us take our leave then.” I tell him and we both start heading towards the campsite. There was one thing I wasn’t happy about with coming home too. In fact, it was something I was quite dreading. I have tried to write her a letter a few times but always end up crumbling the paper and throwing it in the fire.

My engagement to the daughter of my father’s most trusted ambassador. The thought of a forced marriage to me was probably playing havoc on her mind and now that the time was drawing near, we were both more than likely dreading the future.

“Now that we have a few moments alone, I wanted to ask…” Pierre starts off lowly, slowing down his steps to a near crawl.

“You haven’t been sleeping very well. And you know you can’t hide it so you might as well tell me.” He gets straight to the point, making me falter a little.

Looking to the ground I wasn’t sure on how to tell him about the sudden weird dreams I was having. Dreams that soon turn into nightmares. I didn’t understand them. And I wasn’t sure on how I should process it either. The same dream. The same nightmare.

He was right, however. I wouldn’t be able to keep this from him for long. So, I told him everything. About the young dark-haired woman that I have never seen before visiting me, that she never says a single word, but her eyes shine with intelligence of something that I should know. Something that I needed to figure out myself.

She was always in a field of gold with spread out trees, with their branches that hung low to the ground swaying in the slight cool breeze. She wore a white gown that flowed with the wind and I could never keep my eyes from her she was so beautiful.

But then the dream will change. The sky will darken, and the clouds will bellow in the distance with clashing thunder and flashing lightning. Everything turned grey and dark, and the woman disappears in a cloud of smoke. Then I hear clashing and roars beyond the hills from where she had stood. My vision tunnels until I myself stood where she once stood and gaze down into a bloody battlefield of men and these large creatures that I have never seen before.

I could do nothing but stand there and watch in horror as people were mercilessly killed and torn to pieces by these gruesome beings. Blood was everywhere, just as was limbs and dead corpses of both sides. But in the center of this bloodbath stood a large man like beast that was larger than the others as he stood to his full height and howls ferociously

I couldn’t move even if I wanted too. Not only was this scene absolutely terrifying to me but something, like an invisible force, was preventing any part of my body to move even an inch.

Then, just when I didn’t want to see anymore of this bloodshed, the large creature that seemed to be the leader slowly brings his ugly head down and turns its eyes right at me like it was peering right into my soul. And nothing terrified me more than to see those vibrant purple eyes, eyes just like mine, staring right back at me with intent to kill everything in its path.

Then I jerk awake every single time at that point.

I didn’t leave anything out, my voice shaking by the time I finish my tale to Pierre. He just stands there looking at me with concern written all over his face. Swallowing with difficulty I ask,

“What if…what if that creature is me, Pierre? What if its not a dream but a vision of my future?”

“Impossible.” He immediately replies. “That’s not you, Azure. It will never be you.  You’re not that person. And even if something like that does happen it will be unwillingly.” He steps up to me and lays a hand on my shoulder.

“But know this, I will always be there to prevent it from happening. You have my word, my promise.”

The shaking wouldn’t stop. I believed him, I truly did. But it didn’t stop the fear that I was going to do something deadly horrible.